Like Mother Like Daughter
by FinnickOdair-Will-Live-Forever
Summary: Career's are ruthless. Merciless. Terrifying. Going into the Hunger Games, Lillia Everdeen knows that she must watch out for them. Then she meets him. Michael Hawthorne, a boy that changes her world forever. A boy whose face haunts her at night.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own The Hunger Games. Full summary: The rebellion failed, and a now forty year old Katniss Everdeen did what she said she would never do. She had children at the young age of 25. The Hunger Games comes back around, dreaded even more with each year gone and each tribute fallen. When 15 year old Lillia Everdeen follows in her selfless Mother's footsteps and volunteers she's thrown into the arena with the dangerous tribute from District 2, Michael Hawthorne and her Games suddenly seem a lot like her mother's…**

I pull my spear out of the rabbit's eye and place it in my game bag and swing it over my shoulders. I have a decent haul, two squirrels, the rabbit, a turkey and some Katniss roots. My mother was named after them and told that as long as she could find herself then she would never starve. My full name is Lillia-Primrose Rue Everdeen. Rue is my middle name after my mother's fallen ally, Primrose is joined to my first name after my aunt. I am named after the Lilly, and as long as I can find them then I can sell them for a great price to the Mayor. They are rare in the ruins of District 12. It took years to rebuild my home district after the bombing before I was born and even still, it's a wreck. The coal mines are even more dangerous than they used to be. We are allowed no entertainment facilities, no schools and no hot water is available to us. Only one place remains the same as it did in my mother's day. The meadow, where her friends and classmates and my family on my father's side lay buried.

I do not belong to the strong, unforgiving District 12 that fought bravely in the second rebellion and housed the Mockingjay. I belong to the washed up mess of a District where less than three thousand people live, starving even more than twenty three years ago.

I reach the fence step through the hole. When my mother was my age, they only had a small space to climb through. Now the fence is in tatters, like the rest of my District. My mother was removed from Victors Village by the Capitol and the only way we were going back there was if I or Mitch won the Games. I make my way down the dusty path towards my house in what remains of The Seam. It has one floor separated into three rooms, a bedroom, a simple kitchen/dining room and a bathroom. There are three tiny beds in the bedroom, and my feet dangle over the edge slightly. I share the room with my mother and ten year old brother Mitch. He does not have the surname Everdeen like me; he takes the surname Mellark and is named after my mother's friend and old Mentor. My sixteenth birthday is in three weeks. The reaping is this afternoon.

"Hey mother. How are you?" I ask, dropping my game bag down on the wooden table. She jumps slightly and looks at me as I sit down on the chair next to her.

"I'm okay, Lillia-Primrose. It's just…It's reaping day." She says and we say no more for a few minutes. I never know what to say to her, she is mentally scarred after watching President Snow murder my father Peeta, my Grandmother and my Godfather Haymitch when I was five and she was pregnant with Mitch. She rarely speaks, but she functions properly at least. She is following in the footsteps of her own mother and ignoring her children. When she does speak, it's to scold me, or to ask me something. We rarely have a conversation, but she does train Mitch and me. We are not trained so that we can become rich after the Games, or bring pride and honour to our District by volunteering. We are trained for the simple reason that if we are reaped, we will survive and come home. I can use a spear almost as well as my mother used a bow and arrow. I also the basics of archery, sword and knife work and hand-to-hand combat. Most importantly, we were taught how to survive in the Arena. What berries and mushrooms we can eat, how to make a fire and how build a shelter that withstands rain.

My mother is the only one that calls me Lillia-Primrose and I hate it. I don't complain though, because I know the name is important to her and my mother means so much to me. I have been told that I am very much like Katniss was when she was a war hero all those years ago. Strong, independent, untrusting and a survivor. I even provide for my family like she did. I have her dark brown hair and my father's blue eyes. My brother has my mother's grey eyes and my father's blonde hair.

"It's okay, mother. I'm only in there seven times." I had taken tesserae three times. "If I am reaped then I'll remember everything you taught me and win. If I am not, then there's nothing to worry about." I made it sound so simple, but I had seen my mother's games once or twice on tape and I knew that it wasn't that simple.

"It's not that simple. You must have no mercy; you have to kill people in cold blood because there's only one winner, Lillia-Primrose." She sighs. I already know all of this.

"But if I am reaped, I have more of a chance than tributes from some of the other Districts. I'm trained."

"I suppose so. Now go and get dressed, Lillia-Primrose Rue Everdeen. The Reaping starts in three hours and you do _not _want to be late." She frowns. I make my way slowly into our only bedroom.

"Hey, Mitch. Promise me that when you turn twelve that you'll never take tesserae." I sigh as my brother gets up to leave the room. He is a dress top and knee length brown shorts. He will be stood with Greasy Sae during the Reaping and if I am not reaped we will both be staying with her whilst our mother is mentoring. He gives me a funny look.

"Um, okay Lillia. I promise." With that, he leaves the room. I pull off my hunting clothes and throw them onto the floor. I put on my Reaping dress. It's white with elbow length sleeves and it reaches me knees. I tie my hair in a bun and make my way back into the kitchen. My mother cooks us a meal of turkey and Katniss roots and we eat it then leave.

I join the crowd of fifteen year old girls. In front of me, in the fourteen year old girl's crowd, is my friend Ruby. Her birthday was last week and this is her third Reaping. It's my fourth. I have known since I was thirteen and she was twelve. She fell over in the street and some boys my age laughed at her. I yelled at them, and they ran away. I helped Ruby up and bandaged her leg. We've been friends ever since. Most people in District 12 are scared. They know that I train but that's not why, that's only a small part of the reason. I am the daughter of two war heroes, one fallen and one the Mockingjay. I have many of my father's traits. I enjoy joking and laughing with my brother and I can be kind. But I also have some of my mother's bad traits. When I really lose my temper and snap, it can be catastrophic for the people around me. When my mother lost her temper, she shot the President, Alma Coin, for killing my Aunt Prim and namesake. I would have done the same, and the last time I lost _my _temper I ended up blowing up a house in Victors Village. I received a whipping from the Head Peacekeeper. But it was worth it. The son of our only victor had been mocking my father, saying that it was probably best he had died. I blew up his house and all of his stuff. My temper had gone at moments before that, but this stunt had made the other teenagers terrified of me. It was okay, there were no schools in District 12 so I rarely saw anyone other than Ruby. I was always training or hunting.

"Welcome, people of District 12, to the Reaping for the 98th annual Hunger Games!" Our escort, Maximillian Jonathan says into the microphone in his annoying Capitol accent. He has lime green hair, and wears an orange suit. To me, he looked like some kind of puppet. The Mayor does his speech, and then Maximillian makes his way over to the girls Reaping bowl.

"Ladies first!" He grins, and pulls a slip of paper out of the bowl. I close my eyes tightly. _Not me. Not me. Not me._

"Ruby Howard!"

It takes me a while to process this. Unlike my mother did, I don't immediately run forward and struggle with the Peacekeepers. I take a few deep breathes as my best friend makes her way out of the crowd and then calmly step forward.

"I volunteer." I say, loud enough for everyone to hear but not shouting. Ruby's head snaps round. I can see in her eyes that she doesn't want me to do this. But she's younger and smaller than me, and has less of a chance at winning. She knows this and she is scared of the Games, so lets me walk up to the stage. She won't look at me as I pass her; she is too ashamed of herself.

"What's your name, darlin'?" He asks me. I take another deep breath. I have also trained for this moment. I know that I need to look strong, like I'm not worried about dying. I need to look like a winner. However, I also need to be likeable like my father was. I glance at my mother behind me. She has her face buried in her hands.

"Lillia-Primrose Rue Everdeen. But you can call me Lillia." I grin cheekily. I'm not old enough or big enough to pull off the murdering, merciless tribute look that most volunteers give off, even though I am tall for my age. I am underweight, so I will be sure to eat a lot in the Capitol.

"Everdeen, huh? I guess you really do take after your mother, volunteering like that! I'm glad to see you getting into the spirit of the games, _Lillia_." He grins back at me, and then moves over to boys bowl. He pulls a slip of paper out, and I am glad that my brother is only ten.

"Harrison Felt!" He exclaims, and the sixteen year old Victor's son whose house I blew up makes his way up to the stage confidently. He must think that because his father is a mentor and a victor that he would win. He hasn't been training, and people seem to forget that my mother was a victor too. It's just so easy to forget these days because of all that she has lost.

I am sat in the Justice building, awaiting anyone who may visit me. My mother will not come; she will have plenty of time to speak to me as she will be my mentor. My brother enters first and flies into my arms. He sniffles a bit, but does a good job of keeping his tears in for me.

"It's me okay, Mitch. I'll use my training and win for you and Mom, okay?" I stroke his soft blonde hair.

"Okay, Lillia. Promise?" He pulls away and holds out his pinkie finger. I lock mine through his and smile.

"Promise." I hug him again, but soon he has to go. Ruby visits me next.

"I'm so, so sorry Lillia. I should have stopped you, and now you're in this because of me and-"

"Shut up, Ruby." I cut her off and hug her. I pull away and she smiles at me.

"I'm really grateful. I should have stopped you, but I didn't. So let's focus on you winning." She smiles again and I smile back.

"That was my plan, too."

**Should I continue? I know it's really long but I promise, not all the chapters will be this length they'll probably be half the size. :) And if I do continue, it won't be for a while as I would like to finish one of my other stories first. But yeah, tell me what you think?**


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't own The Hunger Games. I know that in the last chapter I said that the male tribute was called Harrison. Stupid auto-correct, it was meant to say Horatio. **

All too soon, I am boarding the train to the Capitol. As soon as I get on, I head straight towards my allocated room. I know that mother would want to come and talk to me. I gaze around as I sit down on my bed and fiddle with my District token. Ruby had given it to me just before she left. It was a piece of thread with a small slab of wood attached to it like a necklace. Carved into the wood was Lilly flower, and I tie the thread necklace around my neck. My room was not too elaborate, but I liked it that way. It had white walls and a blue carpet, a wooden wardrobe, a painted silver night stand and a wooden rocking chair stood next to the train window. My mother bursts in, a look of panic on her face. It was the first time I'd seen emotion on her face in months, as if me going into the Capitol for the Games had snapped her out of whatever damaged state she had been in.

"Lillia-Primrose! You foolish, foolish girl!" She cries, but wraps her arms around me anyway. I rub her back for a few minutes until she sits back, her eyes pricked with tears that she would not let fall.

"I'm sorry, mother." I whisper.

"Do you understand what you've done? If you come back from this, nightmares will plague you. You'll see the faces of your victims in the back of your mind, constantly. You'll be known for one thing, and one thing only; you're ability to kill." Katniss closes her eyes and shakes her head. I feel bad for doing this to her, but I could not let Ruby go into the Games.

"You must understand why I'm doing this, mother. A young girl I care about that stood no chance in winning got Reaped, so I volunteered to save her life. I remember watching the tape of you doing the same thing." I say gently. She will know what it's like to be in my position. I am going into the Games through choice, even though I never wanted too.

"I know that, Lillia-Primrose. It'll be okay. I'm your mentor, and the other mentor Trent is your tribute partner Horatio's father. You should probably form an alliance with him."

"No way." I say flatly, crossing my arms. I would kill that boy the moment the gong sounded for what he said about my father.

"Why? What did he do?" Mother looks confused. So I tell her what he said and how I blew up their house. Her eyes widen in horror and shock. Then she takes a deep breathe, and calmly stands up.

"Mother?"

"Make sure that that boy dies by your hand, Lillia-Primrose. Show him not to mess with an Everdeen. Stupid boy doesn't know what he's done. He will have to die anyway for you to come home, anyway. Dinner is at seven." And with that, she leaves the room. I walk wearily over to the wardrobe. It had been a long day and I want to change into something more comfortable. I pull off my Reaping dress and wear a pair of blue button up pyjamas I find in the wardrobe. I check the clock on the night stand. Already it is five o'clock. The little time I have left before entering the arena is flying by. I settle down in the rocking chair and watch District 12 fly by me as the train starts moving. Eventually, I must have fallen asleep because when I wake up I'm being called to dinner by the escort whose name I cannot remember. I stand up and stretch before making my way out of my room.

"Hello, Lillia-Primrose." My mother smiles at me when I walk into the dining room. Ignoring the glares from Horatio and Trent I pull up a chair next to her. A plate of food has been laid out before me, but I do not want to get sick by eating the Capitol's food. So as Katniss, Trent and Horatio tuck into their stew I stick to eating bread from the basket and request some cheese.

"I guess we should be talking strategies then?" Horatio asks.

"No way." I snort. My mother puts a hand on my arm and looks at me. I know what she is trying to tell me. I must make this boy think that I am interested in an alliance, that I'm his friend. Then when he is least expecting it, I will plunge my spear through his throat. The thought makes me sick, but there can only be one winner. And it has to be me.

"What she means is that first we must discuss an alliance." She says calmly.

"I presume that the Careers will have an alliance before they even arrive at the Capitol. My son will have picked up on my hand-to-hand combat and knife skills. It is common knowledge that your daughter is trained. They would benefit from each other's protection in the arena." Trent says to my Mother. He is a stony faced man with black hair and dark brown, almost black, eyes. Horatio has the same eyes, but his mother's flame red hair. He is admired by many of the girls my age from the Seam, but I do not see why. He is cocky, arrogant and views himself as better than anyone else. I will take him down a peg or two in the arena, though.

"Father, I am better than this girl. I will win without her help." Horatio protests.

"Son, she is trained. You may have picked up my talent, but this girl will help you in the long run until you can kill her." Trent says to his son. I cannot believe that they are discussing killing me whilst they are sat opposite me. My Mother has her eyes narrowed at them both.

"Trent, I will thank you kindly to watch what you say about my daughter." She says, and starts twirling a diner knife between her fingers. Trent is no idiot, he knows that she used to hunt and could hit him between the eyes if she tried.

"I apologise Ms…" He trails off.

"Everdeen. I do not go by my deceased husband's name anymore." Katniss turns to face Horatio and glares at him. In that moment, my district partner knows that she has been told about what he said. He visibly pales.

"If we're all finished, I'd like to watch the recaps of the Reaping?" I ask, looking at everyone. They all nod and we make our way into the television room. I sit on one couch next to my Mother, and the others sit on the one beside us. An Avox switches on the television for us, just in time to see the Capitol seal spin onto the screen. It is soon replaced by the District 1 seal. A fourteen year old girl is Reaped. Her name is Straw, and even though she is only fourteen she grins evilly as she makes her way up to the stage. Next, a fifteen year old boy is Reaped and a muscular boy who appears to be pushing six feet tall volunteers. His name is Mallow and he is clearly trained like his young District partner.

"Watch out for him." My mother whispers in my ear, and I nod in response. Next is District 2. A sixteen year old girl is Reaped, and a seventeen year old named Melody volunteers. I can tell that she too is trained in spear work by the muscles on her left arm. I will have to watch out for her, also. Next, a seventeen year old boy is Reaped, and nobody dares to even _try _and volunteer. He is incredibly muscular, yet he looks like he could have been from the Seam in District 12. When my mother hears his name, she gasps. His name is Michael Hawthorne. I wonder why she is so shocked; until I remember the stories she told me when I was six. The stories of Gale Hawthorne, her best friend and hunting partner. She told me how he loved her but she could not be with him so he left for District 2 just before they lost the Rebellion. I know that I must at least try to have an alliance with this boy, for Katniss' sake.

The tribute girl from 4 appears to have been trained, but the boy isn't up too much. The boy from 5 seems relatively strong, and the pair from 7 look like they have been handling axes since they could walk. They probably have. The other tributes don't look up too much, except for the boy from 10. He is eighteen and will definitely know how to handle a whip. I see myself volunteer and then Horatio make his way up onto the stage. I am smiling sweetly, already playing the game and trying to win sponsors.

"What do you think?" Katniss asks me. I tell her my observations and she nods in agreement.

"The careers, the boy from 5, the two from 7 and the boy from 10 need to be watched out for." I say.

"And the girl from 8." She adds quietly. I frown slightly. The girl from eight was average height, average weight and she cried when she was Reaped. She was just average and emotional.

"Why?" I ask.

"Didn't you see it?" Trent questions, but I ignore him and keep looking at my mother.

"She had a slight grin as she walked up to the stage, just before she burst in to fake tears. Her light walk and silent steps. The muscles in her upper legs. My guess is that she can sprint, and knows how to handle at least one kind of weapon." She explains. I wonder how it is that I have missed this. I am usually good at picking up the small details. I am probably just tired.

"Oh. I think I'll be retiring for the night. Night mother… Trent. Horatio." I kiss Katniss on the cheek and make my way into my room. I have just settled down under the covers when I hear a knock on my door. Sighing, I get up and open it. Horatio is stood there, grinning.

"Hey, flower."

"Do _not _call me that." I cross my arms. "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to say that, when the time comes, I will kill you in the least painful way possible. On one condition." His grin turns into a smirk and I raise an eyebrow.

"Condition?" I doubt that he will be able to kill me, but my curiosity gets the better of me. "What condition may that be?"

"You keep me entertained tonight." He runs his hand down my arm, and it is all I can do not to slap him.

"I swear Horatio, I will stick my spear into your mouth and severe your tongue. Then I will take great joy in killing you." I slam the door in his face. As I lay in my bed again, a single tear rolls down my cheek.

The Games haven't even begun and the Capitol has turned me into a monster.

**I was thinking that I need a better summary. If you can write me one and I choose it, then I will give you a shoutout and I will write a oneshot on the pairing of your choice. It can be any pairing, except slash. I'm not against it, I just feel uncomfortable writing it. Thank you in advance!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't own The Hunger Games.**

When we arrive at the Capitol, Horatio and I are escorted off of the train. I wave to the crowds of Capitol people and smile cheekily at them. Some wave back and a few others write things down on a piece of paper.

"What are you doing?" Horatio asks me, but I ignore him. He will never get sponsors if he keeps glaring at the crowd like that.

We are taken straight to our stylists so that they can prepare us for the opening ceremony. I am told that my stylists name is Heath Wilcox, and my prep team consists of three girls. Their names tell me that they are triplets. They are called Mollie, Hollie and Dollie. I have to stop myself from snorting at their ridiculous names. They chatter to each other as the yank all the hair off of my body. They apply black eye shadow and orange lipstick to my face. I think it is meant to represent fire. Heath walks into the room. My prep team bow their heads and then leave.

"I expect you to bow your head also. I am fashion royalty and this is the first time you have met me." He says, looking at me in disgust. I am about to leave the room when I remember that I have to do whatever my Stylist says. My Mother was told the same thing during her Games, and she turned into The Girl on Fire. I learn that Heath is an extremely arrogant man, but he is a fashion genius. He styles my hair so that the front is in cornrows and the rest flows down my back. He gives me a flame coloured spandex cat suit to wear, and when a button on my side is pressed, the suit starts smoking. I look like some kind of hearth, and I love it.

"Thank you." I say. Heath shrugs.

"Whatever. It's not my best work. Now, follow me." He leads me down to where the chariots are. Horatio is already stood in 12's. All the other tributes are stood in there's as well, and I know that I am late. My District partner is wearing a cat suit like me, and he doesn't look happy about it. I suppose it isn't very 'manly'. My stylist helps me onto the chariot and presses the button on my side. Horatio's own stylist presses his and the chariots roll out.

The audience cheers and claps as we are revealed to them. I smile, wave and blow kisses. It worked for my Mother, so it will work for me. Horatio waves a few times before just standing there with his arms crossed, looking bored. The Capitol citizens chant my name as well as the names of some other tributes. I hear Michael Hawthorne's name a few times. He is dressed as a gladiator. District 2 specialises in masonry and making weapons. His District partner Melody is dressed as his wife or something along those lines and is wearing a white toga. The District 8 girl that I need to watch out for is dressed like a needle. The District 10 boy is dressed like a cow and the District 1 tributes have been painted gold. No tribute is wearing an outfit quite like mine.

The next day I dress in a vest top and knee length loose fit shorts. I tie my hair in a bun, order some toast and leave for the training centre after eating it. Horatio joins me and some others there after a few minutes, and eventually the last tributes arrive. One of the trainers explains to us about all of the stands, and then we are left to do as we please. I start to head towards the edible plants station when someone grabs my shoulder. Instinctively, I pull away. I turn around and find myself face to face with the District 2 boy, Gale Hawthorne's son.

"Hey, I'm Michael. Did I hear right? Your surname's Everdeen?" He asks me. He smiles at me and my insides melt a little. _No Lillia_. This boy is my enemy.

"Yes. I do believe our parents knew each other." I respond, smiling back. If I play this right, I will have a shot at getting into the Career alliance.

"Yes, they did. Would you like to join the Career alliance? Seeing as you're practically an old friend?" He asks me and I smile again. He seems like a nice person, but when we get into the arena he will become like Cato, from my Mother's Games. I am almost sure of it.

"I would love to." I reply, and follow him over to the meet the other Careers.

"This is Straw. Her weapon is the knife." He points at the fourteen year old blonde girl from District 1. She grins and waves. Next Michael points to Straw's District partner, a huge boy with muscles the size of apples.

"That's Mallow. He's seventeen. His weapon is…His hands, I guess."

"I'm Melody. I'm sixteen. My weapon is the spear." The black haired girl from 2 says.

"I'm Crystal. I'm thirteen. My weapon is the club." The redheaded girl from 4 has an evil glint in her eye as she says this. She may be young, but she looks like she knows how to kill viciously.

"I'm Reg. I'm sixteen…I don't have a weapon." The untrained boy from 4 sighs and looks at the floor, his shaggy brown hair falling over his face.

"And you know that I'm Michael. I'm seventeen; my weapon is the sword, but I can use a bow and arrow. What's your weapon, Lillia?"

"The spear." I say, eying Melody warily. She smirks, picks up a spear, and throws it at the target. It's forty meters away and her spear hits the bullseye.

"Beat that, rookie. I've been training with it for three years." She smirks again. What she doesn't know is that I have been training for five years, since I was ten. In a few weeks, when I turn sixteen, I will have been training for six years. I gesture to one of the trainers. She picks up the target and moves it back thirty meters. She pulls Melody's spear out and steps back. I pick up a spear.

"Like you're going to hit _that_, rookie. It's seventy meters away." She sneers. I raise an eyebrow and throw my spear. Hunting has given me muscles, and I can throw a spear further than anyone I've ever seen in the Hunger Games. I can throw it better than any athlete. It hits the bullseye, and Melody doesn't bother me again.

I spend the next few days going to every station on offer. Eventually, it's time for our private sessions with the Gamemakers. I sit with the Careers and joke around with them until eventually all of them have been called. I do not yet trust them, and I get the feeling that I will never truly trust Melody or Crystal with her barbaric way of killing people with a club. But Michael seems to be slightly less of a monster, and Reg wouldn't know how to kill someone if his life depended on it. Which, of course, it does.

"Hey. Why were you sat with _them_?" Horatio asks me when the District 11 girl is called.

"Because they are my allies." I respond. His jaw drops slightly.

"Why would they want _you _and not me? My father was a victor! My surname is known by all!" He frowns. I have seen what he can do in training. Or rather, what he can't do. He has not picked up on _any _of his father's skills. He cannot hit a target with anything, nor can he hold a sword or knife properly.

"My mother was a victor. And a war rebel. _My _surname is known by all." I say calmly.

"But _we're_ supposed to be allies!"

"I'm going to kill you, Horatio." I am still using a calm voice, even though inside I still want punch him. Before he can answer me, his name is called.

He comes out a few minutes later, looking proud of himself.

"Beat that!" He says as he passes me. I roll my eyes and make my way into the training centre. The Gamemakers give me the signal to start, and I have their full attention. They knew my mother. Chances are that they don't want an arrow flying through their food again. I pick up some knives and throw a few at a target; they don't quite hit the bullseye, but they are close enough. Then I move over to the archery station. I let a few fly and most of them hit the centre of the target. I tie some knots and start a small fire before extinguishing it and going over to the spear station. I pick up three, and then make sure I am fifty metres away from the target. I throw the first one. Bullseye. I walk back so that I am sixty meters away. Bullseye. Then I make sure that I am seventy five meters away. I have never thrown this far before. I hit just under the bullseye. If it were a person, it still would have been a fatal shot.

"Thank you." The head Gamemaker, Sylvia, says. I nod to her and leave the room.

"How did it go?" My Mother asks when I get back to District 12's floor. We are all gathered around the television, eating our dinner and waiting for our scores.

"Pretty good, I think." I respond.

"Excellently!" Horatio exclaims, and his father smiles at him.

"That's my boy!" Trent says. The television flickers to life, and the Capitol seal appears. Straw pulls a nine. Mallow also pulls a nine. Melody gets a seven, and Michael gets a ten. I get the feeling that Melody will not be pleased. Crystal gets an eight and Reg gets a five. The boy from five gets a seven. The pair from 7 get eights. The girl from eight gets a four, but I know now that she is faking it. The boy from ten gets an eight. Horatio pulls a six, somehow. I expected him to get a three.

"What!?" He cries and Trent looks at him in disgust. My headshot appears, and I pull a ten. The other tributes all got between one and six.

"Well done." Katniss says as she hugs me. She knows I am in the Career alliance. We have not told Trent. He will not be pleased with me when he finds out.

"You should get some rest, Lillia-Primrose. The interviews are tomorrow and you have a shot at winning. You will be no good if you are tired." Trent says to me, now ignoring his son. I say my goodnights, and make my way down the hall to my room. Tomorrow, I will make the whole of Panem love me.

**So remember, I need a summary! Thank you. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**I don't own The Hunger Games…Yet. Muhahahaha. ;) **

My prep team apply eye shadow to my eyes that is the exact same colour as fire. My lipstick is a metallic silver and I wear my hair in a simple ponytail, only it has been spray with dye and is the same colour as coal. My dress is also the same colour as my eye shadow. It has spaghetti straps and reaches my knees. It is doubles over at the top and the overlap reaches the top of my ribcage, and the hem is slightly frilled. I look at myself on the mirror when Heath tells me too.

"Wow." I breathe. The dress is fantastic. Then he clips a large silver belt around my waist. It has a Mockingjay where it should have a buckle. It is the same type of bird on my mother's pin. It is the symbol of rebellion.

"Heath…Are you sure I should wear this? It's-"

"I know what it is." He cuts me off. "Trust me, you'll be fine. _I'm _the designer, if anybody gets punished it's me. But that won't happen. The Capitol people _love _me, I'm practically their king." He smiles, and gives me some silver gloves to put on and some orange shoes. When I am wearing the full outfit, Heath leads me down to where the interviews will take place. I have been mentored for them by my Mother. I will play it like my father did; Likeable. But I will add just a touch of how my Mother played it. I take my seat with the other tributes, who eye my belt with wide eyes. They know what it means, what it represents.

Straw plays the innocent young girl, even though that is far from the truth. Mallow is the unresponsive killing machine, and I suspect that he is probably not acting. I have only heard him speak twice. He usually just grunts. Melody plays the classy girl who always smiles and is never rude. Michael plays it funny. He makes the audience laugh every five seconds, it seems. Crystal is evil. Reg is brave. He must be an incredible actor. The girl from eight breaks down on stage; I find out that her name is Karla. She is also an amazing actor. Horatio is proud and arrogant, despite his training score. When it is mentioned he just tells Roberta Pine, the new Caesar Flickerman, that he has more up his sleeve. Then it is my turn.

"So, Lillia-Primrose Rue Everdeen. That's quite a name isn't it?" Roberta jokes.

"It is." I smile back. "I'm named after my Aunt Primrose, my Mother's old friend Rue, and the Lilly flower."

"Wow. Is it true that your Mother is Katniss Everdeen?"

"It is indeed. Don't worry; I'm not even sure what Nightlock is." I lie, and the audience laughs.

"So, you're quite a young girl. Almost sixteen, I hear. Care to tell us how you pulled that ten?"

"I wish I could! I guess you'll all be finding out tomorrow!" I giggle. Pleasing these Capitol makes me feel sick, but I must do it.

"That's…Quite a belt you have on, Miss Everdeen." Roberta says, somewhat shocked.

"It is, isn't it? Relax; I'm not here to start a Rebellion or anything. I like it because it reminds me of my Mother. It makes me feel more at ease." I smile sweetly. The audience gives off a chorus of 'aww's' at that.

"Well, I _am _relieved. Last question. Do you have a special someone back home?"

"I don't." I say simply, and wink. The audience laughs again at my blatant flirting.

"Lillia-Primrose Rue Everdeen everybody!" Roberta shouts, and I make my way off stage. I stand for the anthem, and then I am free to go back to my room. It is ten o'clock at night, and I was with Heath, Mollie, Hollie and Dollie all day. I am exhausted. Anybody would be, if they had to spend the day with my prep team. I pull of my clothes when I reach my room and slip on a silky nightgown. My Mother enters the room just as I am pulling up my covers. She kisses me on the forehead.

"You did amazing, Lillia-Primrose."

"Thank you, Mother."

"I loved your belt." She smiles.

"I liked it too."

"I won't see you tomorrow. I just wanted you to know that I'm proud of you, of everything that you've become. You are just like your father, and your Aunt. I have ultimate faith that you will come back, but… I love you. Don't forget that."

"I love you too. And I'm coming back, Mother. I'm coming back for you and Mitch, and when I get home I'll use some of my winnings to build a statue in honour of Peeta." I promise, gripping her hand.

"He would be so proud of you…" A tear falls from her face onto my blankets. She kisses me on the cheek, and leaves the room.

When I wake up, it is time to go to the arena. I dress myself in a simple black vest top and leggings, knowing that I'll get something else to wear anyway. When I leave my room, Trent and Horatio are waiting for me.

"Come on." Trent says. It is obvious to me that he has given up on his son, as he does not say a word to him as he boards the hovercraft. I get on the ladder after Horatio and just as I am about to be pulled up Trent says,

"When I see you again, you will be a Victor." With that, he turns and leaves and I am pulled up.

Once I am in the hovercraft, the windows go dark so we cannot see, and my tracker is injected into me. It isn't that painful, but Horatio clutches his arm in pain. When he sees me watching him, he winks at me. I turn away. He has reminded me that I need to kill him. When the Hovercraft lands, we are taken under the arena to our launch rooms. Heath gives me my clothes, and turns his back whilst I change. I get the feeling that here in the Capitol, they must love spandex as this will be the second time I've worn it. I am now wearing a pair of knee length spandex shorts, and a spandex t-shirt. The stuff is incredibly stretchy; it is like what cyclists wear. I am also still wearing my District token, the necklace.

"Good luck, Lillia. May the odds be ever in your favour." Heath says, patting me on the shoulder. I thank him for everything, and make my way over to the glass tube. It clicks shut as soon as I step into it, and my stylist waves at me. I smile weakly and wave back before the metal plate I am stood on shoots upward and I am in the arena. I start to swelter in the heat. The Cornucopia is placed in the middle of a desert plain, and there is a forest behind me. There is a field of cacti in front of me, behind the Cornucopia. You'd have to be crazy or desperate for water to go in there. To my left is a lake. The only other water source may be the cacti. But of course, there could be streams in the forest. To my right is more forest. The countdown has already started. The tribute on my left is Michael. He looks round at me and winks. On my right is the District 3 boy. Horatio is three plates to my right. The Games will soon begin.

_5…4…3…2…1…Let the 98__th__ annual Hunger Games begin!"_

The gong sounds and we're off and running.


	5. Chapter 5

**I don't own The Hunger Games, blah. Oh, and if you're wondering about the spears, she carries them how you would carry a guitar case on your back.**

I race towards the Cornucopia. Three spears in a leather strap sit waiting for me right next to the golden horn. Horatio is racing to pick up a knife. I get to it before him, pick it up, and fling it at his neck. The knife hits his Adams apple and he goes down instantly. I pull the knife out of his throat and throw it to Michael. He catches it before picking up a sword, unsheathing it, and slashing at the other tributes. I pick up another knife, this one in a sheath, and strap it around my waist. I reach the spears at the same time Melody does.

"They're mine." I yell at her.

"Nu-uh, they're _mine_!" We both lunge for them. We are having a tug of war over them when Michael's voice cuts through the screams and death cries.

"Melody! Give them to Lillia!" He slashes at the boy from 9 who gets a little too close to a bow and arrows. He falls to the floor coughing up blood, and Melody grabs the bow and arrows instead. The Careers and I stand in front of the Cornucopia, killing off tributes who dare to come to close. Eventually, the fighting stops and the Hovercrafts come to take away the bodies. I have only killed one person so far. Horatio. I count nine cannons, but we will not know who is dead until nightfall.

"How many have we lost from our alliance?" Mallow asks as he picks over the weapons and food supplies.

"Just Reg." Crystal says.

"I suppose that's best. He wasn't exactly an asset to us, was he?" Melody sniffs, testing out her bow string.

"He was still a person! You shouldn't talk about him like that, Melody." I frown at her. She narrows her eyes and walks towards me, dropping her bow. I know that back home, nobody probably dared to speak to her like that and I have offended her. We are about to start throwing punches like teenage boys when Michael steps between us.

"Stop that, Melody. Lillia, you come with me and sort out supplies. Melody, you help Mallow sort out the weapons. Straw, Crystal, you stand guard." He says. Straw raises her knife to her head and salutes to Michael with it, and Crystal raises her club. Melody stomps off angrily to go and help Mallow. Michael is the leader of this alliance, and we all know it. He scoops up three backpacks and I do the same. We empty them all and refill them. Each pack now contains a torch, a supply of food that includes dry fruit and meat, a pair of night vision glasses in case the torch dies, a spare knife, bandages, a box of matches, some solution to clean water with and a litre bottle. I make sure that I have a smaller over the shoulder bag so I can strap my spears to my back. Michael and I give out the packs, and I hand the knife I picked up in the Bloodbath over to Straw. She examines it before adding it to her collection. She already has six all tied around her waist, and the others aren't even done picking over the weapons yet. Crystal has a spiked club in one hand, and an extra poking out of her backpack. Melody has a bow and sheath of arrows, although I'm not sure how good she'll be with the bow. It's not her first choice of weapon. Mallow has the knife in his pack and nothing else. My guess is that he can snap a few necks and break a few bones if he wanted to. Michael has two swords on opposite sides of his waist. One hand rests on the hilt of a blade, the other hangs at his side. He is always ready for an ambush, or an attack. I have my spears on my back and the knife in my pack. I may strap it to thigh later for convenience, but right now I need to fill my water bottle. I go to the lake and wait thirty minutes for the solution to clean the water. As I make my way back to the Careers, I can hear Melody talking to Michael.

"All I'm saying is that we should kill her now and be done with it!"

"We're not killing her, Melody."

"Why not? She's not even a proper Career for goodness sake!"

"That doesn't matter!"

"You just don't want to make your father angry!" She hisses, dropping her voice a touch when she sees me coming closer. Like it makes a difference. I can still hear her.

"My father has nothing to do with this, I assure you."

"Prove it. Kill her."

"He won't kill me." I say to Melody. "I am talented with a spear, more so than you. I know how to survive out here without dried food and water cleaner. I am clearly an asset to this alliance." And then I am so annoyed with her that even though my voice is calm, I have to walk away before I stab her.

"Straw. Do you have any idea what her problem is?" I ask the young girl from District 1, as I swap with Crystal and help guard the stuff.

"You mean the obvious ones or the ones that involve you?" She raises an eyebrow and I laugh a little.

"The ones with me." I respond.

"Oh, so not the ones that involve her being a crazy bitch. Well, Mallow's sister is twenty. She has been given permission by President Snow, old fossil that he is, to leave District 1 and work with orphans like Melody. That crazy 2 girl tells her everything. She's madly in love with Michael, or some crap like that. Michael's obviously taken a liking to you and she's not very happy about that. That boy does kind of look at you like your some kind of angel." Straw whispers, even though Melody is on the other side of the Cornucopia.

"Our parents knew each other a long time ago. That's the only reason why he won't kill me." I mumble.

"Well, there's only one winner." Straw says thoughtfully.

"I guess that he'll kill me when the time comes, yeah."

"Not what I meant, Petal. Not what I meant."

"Then what do you mean?" I'm suddenly cautious. There is only on winner and Straw is stood right next to me with a knife.

"I mean you should probably kill Melody before her jealousy gets the better of her." And then Mallow walks over and Straw switches guard with him. I decide that I like Straw, and I'll have to get someone else to kill her for me. I think about killing Melody. The thought pleases me, but what if Michael was to get angry at me killing his District partner? If her love for Michael was even slightly mutual then he would kill me in an instant. But I don't think it is from the way he speaks to her. Still, I will not take any chances. I plan on coming home alive, not in a wooden box.

Later that evening as I am getting into my sleeping back, the Capitol seal appears in the sky. Afterwards, the faces of the fallen tributes are shown. First to appear are both tributes from District 3. Then Reg from 4. Then the girl from 5, the boys from 6 and 7. The girls from 10 and 11. And then Horatio. I feel guilty, but then I remember all the things he has said to me and I am okay again. The strong boy from 5, the girl from 7, Karla from 8 and the boy from 10 are still out there. As well as all the other tributes. I fall asleep wondering about the fallen tributes families, and what my District must think of me for killing Horatio.

I am woken by the cannon. I seem to have been asleep for about five hours. The boy from District 9 that Michael almost killed is holding a knife over Mallow, and he is already dead. He had been watching the supplies. All I can think about is how Mallow had a sister as I stand up, pull a spear out of its sheath on my back and send it flying towards the boy's heart. It hits its target and the cannon fires instantly. I walk over to the boy and pull my spear out of his body. I sheath it and turn to Mallow. Straw is removing his pack and smoothing back her District partner's hair. The others have already gathered around.

"The boy must have snuck up on him. Nice throw, Lillia." Michael nods at me, smiling slightly. I take Straw's arm gently and pull her away from Mallow's body so that the hovercraft can take him.

"He was my friend." Is all she can say. I tuck her up in her sleeping bag and she falls asleep in a few minutes. She is a true Career. She'll be fine by morning.

"I'll guard until morning." Melody offers, but there is no way I'm going to sleep with her protecting me. Or rather, _not _protecting me.

"I'll do it." I say.

"I'm not completely useless you know. I _can _do this." She frowns at me.

"I'm not saying that you can't. I'm just saying that you shouldn't."

"Jeez, people! _I'll _take the freaking watch!" Crystal pulls herself out of her sleeping bag, picks up her club and sits down in front of the supplies. Satisfied, I get a few more hours sleep.

When I awaken in the early hours of the morning, the first thing I see is Michael and Melody whispering in each other's ears. She giggles every now and again, and he smirks. I feel a pang of jealousy. I shake it off quickly. This is The Hunger Games. It's not the place to feel, it's the place to think. Think about how you're going to win. When Melody sees me, she smiles and stands up.

"Hey, Lillia. Before Horatio died he told me that your Father's dead. Is it true?" She asks. I clench my jaw.

"Yes." Every citizen in Panem will be watching our conversation.

"He also said that he deserved to die."

"That part is defiantly _not _true."

"Melody…" Michael warns her, but I can tell that he doesn't really care what happens to her.

"It probably is, you know. I heard that he went batshit crazy and tried to kill your mother. Apparently she went crazy too. I would, if I had children like you and your brother." She laughs. My knife is at her throat in no time.

"Say something like that again." I whisper. "And I swear to God I will kill you."

"Lillia, calm down. Melody's an idiot, just ignore her." Michael puts his hand on the small of my back and I step away from Melody. I wrap my knife sheath around my thigh and keep my knife there instead. The girl from 2 looks hurt by Michael's words, but stomps off without saying anything.

"Hey guys, did I miss something?" Straw asks as she awakens, stretching and with her cheeky grin in place. She doesn't seem affected by the loss of Mallow anymore.

"No. Gather your knives Straw, we're going on a little hunt. Lillia, stay here and guard?" He asks, removing his hand from my back. I nod and take a seat next to the supplies. The remaining Careers gather their weapons and leave. Over the next few hours, I hear two cannons fire. Then, I feel a hand clamp over my mouth.

"Do not move or I will kill you very painfully." The girl from 7 whispers in my ear. For a few seconds, I am still. Then I bite down hard on her hand. She yelps, and her axe goes flying. It catches me on the cheek as it hits the floor. I take out a spear and send it flying towards her. I miss, as the blood has somehow found its way into my eye. She throws another axe, but I roll out of the way. I take out another spear, and this time it hits her. She is dead before she hits the ground, and her cannon fires. A few minutes later, two more cannons fire. But all I can do is lie on the floor as my blood spills out around me. I manage to press a bandage to my face. I see a silver parachute float down towards me, but I cannot reach it and I cannot stand and go get it. Just before I pass out, I see two female Careers and a male Career running towards me.

"LILLIA!" Michael is yelling. It is the last thing I hear before my eyes close themselves. I fall into a deep sleep thinking about how Michael's voice isn't such a bad to thing to hear right before my certain death.


	6. Chapter 6

**I don't own The Hunger Games.**

**Michael:**

"Straw, get the sponsor gift and figure out whatever that stuff inside it is good for! Melody, watch out for the other tributes. We can't afford an attack right now." I yell as I race towards the Cornucopia with my allies, Crystal momentarily forgotten. I scoop up Lillia and put her down nearer to the horn, hoping that her wound isn't as bad as it looks.

"Just let her die, Michael. She can't live if you want to win." Melody rolls her eyes.

"She's our ally." I respond.

"She's our enemy!" Melody glances over at Straw, making sure she's out of earshot. "Why don't you and I break away from the Career alliance? They'll end up killing us, anyway." She runs her hand down my arm, but I swat it away. I'm not stupid, I know that she likes me.

"No." I say firmly. Because why would I ever want Melody when I may have a shot at being with Lillia? I've had feelings for her ever since I saw her selflessly volunteer for the Games in place of her friend. My feelings were confirmed when I saw her in her chariot. She's beautiful. I knew that I loved her when I saw the way she stood up to Melody in the training centre. Nobody back home ever had the guts to even _glare_ at her. I am aware that I fell for her way to quickly, but this is the Hunger Games. I will die soon, so I may as well love while I still can. I will save her in the end, she won't have the same fate as Hayley.

"Whatever." Melody says, and walks the few steps over to Lillia to examine her wound. "I'm just going to stab her anyway." My District partner crouches down, raises her knife above her head and brings it down over Lillia's heart. I slam into her, knocking her aside and sending her face first into the ground, before the knife can make contact.

"Go keep watch like I told you to, Melody. I don't want to even _look_ at you." I would kill her in a heartbeat if it meant saving Lillia. I would kill _anyone _in a heartbeat if it meant her safety. Grumbling under her breath, Melody walks off to keep watch. I settle down next to Lillia, wet a piece of cloth, and hold it to her head. I grip her fingers in my hand as Straw walks over with some kind of ointment and wipes it on Lillia's wound. I have only had a couple hours of sleep since the Games began, but I will not sleep. I will be right next to her when she wakes up.

**Lillia:**

I am awake now, I just cannot see anything. I have to blink a few times before I can get my eyes to work. Straw is sat next to me and Michael is holding a damp piece of cloth to my forehead, presumably to stop me from getting a fever. We are just outside the Cornucopia.

"Finally! I was beginning to think you'd never wake up, Petal! You've been out cold for eight hours!" Straw grins at me.

"You're just in time to see the Capitol seal." Michael smiles weakly. He looks tired, like he's been awake for far too long. The Capitol seal plays quite late at night, I hope he at least got _some _rest. I look up and see that the emblem has already lit the sky. First to appear is Crystal. I shoot Michael a look that says _what happened?_ He turns away from me. I will have to get Straw to tell me. Next is the girl from 7, the one that I killed. My fingers fly to my face wound. It is now just a fresh scar. Whatever was in that sponsor gift must have worked wonders, but it's itching like hell. I start to scratch it. Michael wraps his fingers around mine and pulls my hand away from my face.

"Don't scratch." He says, but doesn't let go of my hand.

The girl from 7 is followed by the boy from 8. Next to appear is the boy from 9 that I killed in the early hours of the morning. Finally, the boy from 10 appears and then the sky goes dark. Michael releases my hand and goes to switch places with Melody and watch the supplies. I turn to Straw.

"What happened to Crystal?" I ask. Straw frowns for a moment, and then shakes herself.

"The boy from 10 tried to kill Michael. Crystal shoved him out the way and hit 10 over the head with her club. Just before he fell he pushed Crystal with, like, _everything _left inside of him. She went crashing into a tree and broke her spine. I had to put her out of her misery."

"Oh. So she saved him?" I ask.

"Yup. And from what I see, Michael's very loyal. He knows that Crystal would still be alive if he had seen that dude coming. He blames himself, but he'll get over it. He's a Career." She grins at me.

"But why would she save him and risk her own life?" It puzzles me. There's only one winner. He wouldn't have done the same thing.

"She told me that her best friend died last month. Mom's dead, doesn't know where her dad is. Michael has people to return home to. She didn't." We sit in silence after Straw says that. I wonder what would have happened if Crystal hadn't of saved Michael. He would be dead. And how would I feel? I feel strongly for him, I am just unsure of which emotion it is that I am feeling. I thank Crystal in my head. Even though I have been unconscious all day, I am exhausted. I settle down inside the warmth of a sleeping bag and immediately fall asleep.

The next day, we gather up all the supplies we need and bury the rest in the lake bed. There are only nine of us left now. Me, three Careers, the boy from 5, the girls from 6 and 8, and both tributes from 11. We are leaving the safety of the Cornucopia and going hunting in the forest. But not for animals. I sling my pack over my body, strap my knife around my thigh and sling my spears onto my back. I have a lot to carry, but it is all needed. We will be staying out here until only one tribute remains. It could be hours, or it could be days. We have been walking for four hours when we come across the Karla from 8 and the girl from 6. Straw flings a knife and nails the girl from 6 in the throat. Karla pulls the knife out of her fallen ally's throat and is up and away before we can even blink. I am right, she _is _a sprinter. Melody fires an arrow at 8, but she is long gone and it hits a tree with a twang.

"Shit!" She yells, pulling the arrow out of the tree.

"Well done, Melody. We know that she's received some training, and now she's armed because you couldn't kill her!" Straw shouts. I rest my hand on her elbow.

"It's okay Straw. Just do what I do. Think about how in a few days Melody will never bother you again." I say to her. This is all too much for the District 2 girl. She launches herself at me, and we fall to the floor. She throttles me, but I prise her hands off of my throat and flip us over so that I am strangling her. We roll over again, and she bites me. I punch her, and Michael picks her up and off of me.

"I'll kill you in your sleep, Everdeen! You insult me, and then you steal my almost-boyfriend!" She screams as Michael restrains her.

"What are you _talking _about?!" I yell back. "I didn't steal anything!" I am about to hit her again when Straw grabs my arm. I struggle until she twists it behind my back. I am instantly still, knowing that she could break it if I move even an inch.

"Have you not seen the way Michael looks at you? Stupid bitch." Melody mutters. I seem to be the only one that hears her though. If Michael heard her, he doesn't react.

"Come on. It's almost dark. Settle down, we should get some rest." He says. He glares at Melody before becoming stony faced. He offers to take first guard, and we all agree. I pull a blanket that I found at the Cornucopia over me and fall asleep. The sky's almost at the height of dark when I wake up, even though I couldn't have slept for more than two hours. I know that now is the time for me to leave the alliance. I gather up my weapons and pack. I am three meters away from the makeshift camp when I hear a voice.

"Where are you going?"

I freeze in my tracks. I turn around and there is Michael, waiting for my reply. I decide that I may as well just tell him the truth.

"It's not safe for me with the Careers anymore. Melody wants me dead after our little fight. You and Straw want me dead purely because I have to die for you to win. I have to leave the Alliance. I hope you understand." I say confidently, biting back a sigh.

"Then I'm coming with you." He says. I am confused by this.

"What? No! The other Careers will be out to get you. And what if it came down to us two?" Does he not understand how much it will hurt me if I have to kill him?

"You really haven't noticed, have you?" He mutters.

"Noticed wha-" Michael cuts me off my pressing his lips onto mine. My arms seem to have a mind of their own, and wrap themselves around the back of his neck. His own arms slide around my waist. When he finally pulls away I realize that, even though I have only known him for a week, I am already in love with him. I know that this is the Games, and only one of us can win. But if one of us has to die, then I may as well spend my final moments with him like this.

"Now come on. I'll grab Melody's bow and Straw's knives." He says, smiling at me. I wait patiently whilst he retrieves the weapons. When he comes back, he is carrying the golden bow that his District partner had used and the sheath of arrows.

"Why did you take her bow? You have a sword." I ask, stupidly. The answer is fairly obvious.

"Now Melody is weaponless. I can use a bow like my father, so it will be useful. Straw's knives were tucked up next to her so I couldn't get to them, but once she sees that Melody has no weapon Straw will kill her." Michael seems to have a strategy all plotted out in his head. We walk for a few miles until we find a tall tree. I will be able to climb it, but I know that Michael will not. I look to the sky and almost instantly a white parachute falls to the floor. I open it up, and inside is a rope ladder. My mother must be working with the District 2 mentor.

"Perfect." I smile, and climb up the tree. I tie the end of the ladder to a branch, and then let the rest of it fall to the floor. When Michael has climbed up the ladder I untie it and pull it up. I shove it in my pack. I jump as the Capitol seal appears in the sky, and my ally wraps an arm around me. I must have missed a cannon fire, because the girl from 6 that Straw killed is not the only tribute to appear in the sky. The boy from 11 has also fallen.

"One more until the final six." Michael whispers in my ear. I nod in response. It doesn't seem possible that, already, seventeen tributes have fallen. I stay awake all night while Michael sleeps. I watch out for tributes, but none come. Until morning, that is. About an hour after another cannon has fired, Straw appears underneath our tree. I elbow the District 2 boy and he wakes up instantly.

"Hey! You could have told me that you were leaving! I could have killed you then, and I wouldn't have to do it now!" Straw yells up to us. She has her knife aimed at my eye, and any friendship we had dissolves. After all, she wants to live. Just as she is about to throw it, a second knife seems to sprout from her chest. I see Karla from 8 sprint forwards, grab the knife that she threw, and run away again. Straw's cannon fires. It happened so quickly that I don't even have time to be shocked.

"There are only five of us left now." I whisper as we watch the hovercraft take away my ex-ally's body.

"I know what you're thinking. And I'm not leaving you." Michael whispers back.

"What if we're the final two?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Right now, we need to go hunting."

**For anyone wondering who Hayley is, all will be explained…Eventually. ;)**


	7. Chapter 7

**I don't own The Hunger Games.**

I know that this will be the last day of my Games. By nightfall, I will either be dead or a Victor. I trek through the forest, holding onto Michael's hand as he leads the way. He is an expert tracker and we are sure to run into some other tributes soon. All of a sudden, another sponsor gift floats down and lands right in front of me. It is canary wing soup in a flask. At first, I am disgusted that my Mother would send me this. I do not want to eat a tiny yellow bird's wings. But then I realise that there is a message to go with it. In the mines of District 12, canaries are used to tell us if there is poisonous gas in the tunnels. They warn us, keep us safe. My Mother is telling me to be careful. Katniss does not fully trust Michael. It is understandable. I am in good shape, and I can throw a spear better than most Capitol athletes can throw a javelin. He may well just be using me for my killing skills. He could be tricking me into falling in love with him so that I will do his dirty work for him, and then he will kill me as soon as every other tribute is dead. I hope that's not what Michael is doing, because if it is then it's working.

"You okay? You seem to be in deep thought." My ally asks me. I nod and smile at him.

"I'm fine. I'm going to put this in your pack though; we ate before we left that tree." His backpack is slung over one shoulder, his arrows on the other. I unzip it and carefully place the flask inside. I am in love with this boy, and I want to be able to trust him. I just know better than that.

We hunt for other tributes for hours, using our torches to see the very tops of the trees that tower above our heads. I drink from by bottle until the water is all gone. We have not found any tributes yet and eventually we tuck into our soup, taking turns in swigging it out of the flask. It tastes better with some of our dried fruit dropped into it. I cannot shake the feeling that my mother that my mother was wrong and Michael truly does love me. He squeezes my hand every now and again, and when I ask why he says that he is making sure that his mind is not playing tricks on him, that I am here and I am _his_. He says it with so much sincerity that my mother _must_ be wrong because if she isn't then it will be the death of me, emotionally and physically.

I hear a scream and a boom. It sounds pretty close, and we start running towards where the sound came from. We find the District 5 boy stood over the girl from 11's body. Michael sends an arrow flying at the boy, but he dodges and runs away.

"Just you, me, him and Karla now." I say, suddenly panicked that I will lose him too soon. I know that I will; we won't even get another two hours together. He is hugging me when I see a huge bluish green tidal wave crashing through the trees and picking up the forest debris. It uproots trees and destroys everything in its path. We drop our packs to lighten our load and sprint. We do not drop our weapons, because there is only four of us and we will need them. The wave only stops coming when we get to a grassy field. The Gamemakers had lured us here for a reason. The sun is beating down on us, and I start to sweat. Before I know what is happening, Michael has pushed me to the floor. My first thought is that my Mother was right, and he is going to kill me. Then he falls to the ground moaning with a knife through in his lower back, poking out of his stomach. I gasp, and turn to face the thrower. It's Karla, from 8. I throw all three of my spears at her in one swift motion. She falls to the floor, spears sticking out of her stomach, neck and head and her cannon fires.

"No, Michael. No! You can't die! I…I can stitch your wound up!" I scream, dropping to the floor and squeezing Michael's hand. He wasn't trying to kill me when he had pushed me. He was saving my life. I search inside my bag for some kind of string or thread, but he stops me. Tears blur my vision, but I see him kiss his fingers and feel him press them to my lips.

"I love you, Lillia-Primrose. I wish we had had more time together. This was always my plan Petal, to die so you didn't have to. Win for me, darling." He croaks, and his cannon fires as his heart stops beating. I desperately shake him for a while, crying and screaming curses. I only stop when I hear the sound of footsteps. Wiping my eyes, I stand up. The boy from District 5 is stood at the other end of the field, sword in hand. I compose myself before unsheathing my own knife and charging at him. I will win this, and not for myself.

The fight is bloody and brutal. He has the upper hand as his blade is longer. I slash at his face with my knife, cutting open his chin. He swipes at me but I block his attack. I manage to cut of his ear, and he cuts a deep gash into my shoulder. The pain is blinding, and I stagger forwards before regaining my balance and swiping at him with my knife once more. He slashes at my stomach, and I fall to the ground clutching it. He is about to put his sword through my throat when I kick him where it hurts and he doubles over in pain. I slit his throat and as he falls to the ground and his cannon fires, I hear trumpets.

"I'm sorry." I whisper. But I am not just talking to the boy from 5. I am talking to the twenty three tributes that will never get to go home, never see their families again. I am talking to Michael, who took a knife for me without even blinking.

"Ladies and Gentleman!" The announcer calls. "I present to you the winner of the 98th Annual Hunger Games, Lillia-Primrose Everdeen!"

I am pulled up into the Hovercraft and the rest is a blur.

**Sorry that this chapter was short, I thought that it would be longer. :L**


	8. Chapter 8

**I don't own The Hunger Games. **

I am allowed to spend the day on District 12's floor in the Training centre building when my stomach and shoulder wounds have been stitched up. One of the Gamemakers visited me to give me the boy from District 5's ear as a trophy. I threw the ear at him and screamed until I was sedated. They took me back to my room after that, with no more visitors. I am lying on my bead, just finished crying, when Trent bursts in. He is more stony faced and emotionless than ever.

"Hello." I say, and then I remember that I killed his son.

"Congratulations." He says.

"Thank you…And I'm sorry, I-"

"No need to apologise. There could only ever be one winner, and I knew my son wasn't coming home. I am glad he died by your hand than by some stupid Career boy." As tears well up in my eyes at the thought of a certain Career boy, Trent realises what he has said.

"I apologise for my inconsiderate wording, Miss Everdeen." He says formally, and then leaves the room. A few seconds later, my Mother rushes in. She sits down on my bed and hugs me tightly, stroking my hair.

"I know, Lillia-Primrose, I know. It's hard now, but it will get better. I promise that one day you'll be fine again." She whispers. This makes me so angry that my tears stop almost instantly.

"What, like you?" I snort. "You didn't have more than a two minute conversation with anyone for _years _after Dad was killed! The only time you left the house was when you had to go to the Capitol and mentor for the Games! So don't give me that crap Mother, because I'm sure I'll be anything but fine." My words sting Katniss and she recoils slightly. We glare at each other in silence for a moment until I burst into tears again. My Mother goes back to hugging me and whispering soothing things in my ear until I fall asleep.

"It's time to wake up, sweetheart." My Mother says, and I wake up with a yawn. She has taken to calling me sweetheart in memory of my godfather, Haymitch.

"Why? I don't want to get out of bed." I mumble, my face crushed into my pillow.

"I know. But I need to take you to your stylist. It's your interview today." She eases me up and out of bed. I follow her down the hall, and when I enter Heath's prep room I don't expect him to say what he does. I think he is going to say 'congratulations' or 'well done'. But he doesn't.

"You look terrible!" He yells.

"Why thank you, Heath." I look in the mirror. My nose is red, my skin is unnaturally paler than usual and my eyes are puffy. Katniss is ushered out of the room and my prep team get to work. They give me a guacamole face mask with cucumber slices over my eyes to reduce the puffiness and bring back my colour. They file my nails and paint them black. My eye shadow is a soft yellow and my lipstick is red. I ask them not to remove any of my scars. I want to remember my time in the arena, no matter how horrible it was. I want to remember Michael and how I avenged his death by killing Karla. My face is back to its normal colour by the time Heath enters the room again. My hair is straightened and then tied into a more elaborate version of my bun. It is held in place by a large yellow hair grip. My dress is orange and reaches the top of my calves. It is covered in small black stars that look like they have been drawn on with coal dust. It is beautiful, with a red belt to match my lipstick and yellow shoes to match my eye shadow.

"Thanks again, Heath." I say, and he smiles at me.

"I am just glad that I can finally use this design! District 12's only winner since the rebellion was male, so I couldn't exactly dress Trent in this. I tried, but he yelled at me." Heath winks at me before leading me down to where the interview will take place. I wait on a plate under the stage similar to the one I stood on five days ago when I was transported to the arena. It starts to move upwards as Roberta introduces me to the audience. The claps and cheers are deafening, the lights and camera flashes blinding. I smile weakly and wave at the audience. President Snow hobbles towards me, leaning heavily on his stick as he puts my Victors crown on my head. When he is off stage he sits in his wheelchair and is taken to the front of the audience so he can watch. Nobody knows how he is still alive. I know for certain that he will not be around much longer. He is over one hundred years old.

"So, Lillia-Primrose, how are you?" Roberta asks me once I am seated.

"I've been better, thank you, Roberta."

"I imagine that you have. I suppose we should just start the video then!" She presses a button underneath her chair and a television comes out of the wall. First of all, my head shot is shown. It is followed by Melody's, then Straw's, Mallow's, Crystal's and Reg's headshots. Mine appears again when Michael's is shown, a heart drawn around the two pictures. It is incredibly cheesy, but I like the way my picture looks next to his. Roberta gives a signal and the video starts.

The first scene is me, running for the Cornucopia, killing Horatio and tossing my knife to Michael. The camera zooms in on Horatio's body, showing my accuracy with the knife. I shudder slightly. Then it shows my little scramble with Melody over the spears. It shows the Careers and I defending the Cornucopia and all the supplies. It plays Mallow's death and me spearing his killer, the boy from District 9. I see myself kill the girl from District 7 and how Michael stayed next to me the whole time I was unconscious, holding my hand until I woke up. I watch my little punch-up with Melody, my friendship with Straw up until she tried to kill me. Michael and I kissing, holding hands, and whispering to each other in the tree. It replays his death and I swallow the lump in throat and blink back tears. I see myself avenging his death by spearing Karla three times. I see myself get cut open twice by the boy from 5. I watch as I cut off his ear, slice his chin open, kick him and then slit his throat. It ends with the footage of me shaking Michael's body and screaming. I realise what a monster I became in the Games, what I will be forever. There is no going back after killing someone. I have hurt more people than I have killed, because now these tributes families are going to have to live without them forever.

"How about that for a victory, Ladies and Gentleman?" Roberta asks, and the audience cheers in response.

"So, Lillia, when did you become aware of your feelings for Michael?" She questions. I wipe away a tear before it can drip off of my chin.

"I'd rather not talk about it. I'm still messed up over the whole thing." I tell her honestly. I answer her questions about my temporary friendship with Straw, my accuracy skills and my fights with Melody until it is time for me to leave.

"You've been wonderful company, Lillia, but I'm afraid your interview must come to an end. We at the Capitol look forward to seeing you next year when you are mentoring a young tribute like yourself!" Roberta says. I wave at the audience and shout my goodbyes, step on the metal plate and I am transported back to underneath the stage.

The train ride home seems longer than it was before, but I know that my brother and Ruby await me. I know that I will also be attacked by an angry mob of girls for killing Horatio. But I find that when I arrive at my new home in Victor's village, I have more pressing matters at hand.

**Dun dun dun! Reviews? :) Tell me if you loved it, hated it, wanted to kill me for adding a cliffy… ;) **


	9. Chapter 9

**I don't own The Hunger Games. Oh, and if you could take the time to review, it would make my day. :)**

As soon as I step off of the train, all I can hear is cheers. My District is happy to have another winner, even if a few of them secretly wanted it to be my District partner. Mitch flies into my arms. He is big for his age, and I stumble back a few steps.

"I missed you too." I say, laughing for the first time in a week.

"I was scared that you wouldn't come back!" He says as he struggles out of my arms. I have to stop myself from saying I wish I _hadn't_ come back. Michael could have won instead.

"But I did. I came back for you, and Mother and…Ruby!" I say as I see her. This much is true. I give her a quick hug and wipe away her tears.

"I thought you were going to die in there! It would have been all my fault! How's your arm and stomach?" She asks.

"You all had so much faith in me, not. And I'm _fine_." I show her my scars, and how quickly they have healed. It's my mental wounds that haven't healed yet.

"And…How are you? I mean, you know…Emotionally." Ruby looks at me, concerned.

"I…It hurts. A lot." I whisper truthfully.

"He would have wanted you to win if you were both in the final two. I wanted to slap you when I was watching it for not realising sooner. He loved you from the very beginning. Most nights by the Cornucopia he stayed awake until sunrise, making sure that no Career or other tribute tried to hurt you. And during the Bloodbath as he was killing people he always had one eye on you, ready to jump in and save you if someone got too close. At one point, they boy from 7 came flying at you from behind, but Michael skewered him with his sword before he could hurt you." Her words make me want to cry again. But I have cried enough tears already to last me an entire lifetime. I'll watch the re-run. I'll watch it and remember him.

"I don't want to talk about it yet. Give me some time, okay?" I ask, and Ruby nods her response. Reporters push their way forward to try and speak to me. One from the Capitol shoves a microphone under my nose and asks,

"How does it feel to be a Victor?" Another asked, "How do you feel about losing that boy from 2?"

"His names was _Michael_. Not 'Boy from 2'." I whisper.

"Just answer the question, love." The reporter sneered.

"Stand back or I will go and get my bow and arrows and shoot you all." My mother says. She may be middle aged, but she is still feared. The reporters make a path for me to walk through. I take Mitch's hand and follow Katniss towards Victors Village.

When we get there, I let my Mother choose which house we stay in. She chooses the house she lived in when she was seventeen. When we enter the house, she tells us we can have any room except the one two doors to the left on the second floor and then she goes upstairs. I know from the look on my Mother's face that it was Aunt Prim's room. Everything in the house is how she left it when she was forced to move out. There was a period of time after the rebellion when the rebels thought they had won. The Capitol struck back by killing my Father, Haymitch and my Grandmother. The Districts fought for about three more weeks before the Capitol won. The man that had died, the one everyone had thought was Snow, was his brother.

Katniss' old game bag sits on a hook by the door. Three places are set on the kitchen table. The remains of a fire lay in the fire place and when I open the fridge door there is a beautifully iced cake on a tray, mouldy and rotting with age. It's been in here for more than ten years. I carefully remove it and dump it in the bin before putting the tray in the sink.

"Come on, Mitch. Let's go choose some rooms." As we pass the living room, I smell the strong scent of white roses. I stop. I remember that smell. I smelt it when President Snow gave me my Victors crown.

"Are you coming, Lillia?" Mitch asks. He is on the second step.

"Actually, why don't you wait in the kitchen? I just need to…Check some wires in the living room. I'll be with you in a minute."

"Okay." He says, and I ruffle his hair as we walks past me. When is safely sat at the table, I open the door. On the couch, an armed man on each side of him, sits Snow. I am not his biggest fan. He had my Father killed. He ruined my life before it had even properly started. And my Mother? If she knew he was here she would kill him, no matter what the costs. He killed everyone she was close to, except for her sister and Gale. Her sister was killed by someone else, and Gale has been out of her life since she was seventeen.

"President Snow, what an honour to have you in my new home. To what do I owe this pleasure?" I force myself to smile and bow my head.

"Congratulations on your win, Ms Everdeen. You are just like your Mother." He smiles at me and I thank him.

"I'm going to cut straight to the chase, Lillia-Primrose. You are turning sixteen in two weeks. I have never had a more expensive Victor than Finnick Odair to…Lend out. A lot of my Capitol associates, business men and the rich men, find you most enchanting. They would like to buy a night with you." He smiles, looking more like a snake than ever. I'm almost sick. This disgusting man wants me to _prostitute _myself to Capitol men?! I would never do that. Even if I wanted to prostitute myself, which I definitely do not, I wouldn't betray my memories of Michael and do it.

"No way. And with all due respect sir, I think it's time for you to leave my house." I am trembling, knowing that I what I have just said could have me killed.

"Very well." I walk with him, rather slowly, until her reaches the door. "Do it." He says to one of his men. He raises his gun and shoots Mitch, straight in the stomach. My brother screams and collapses against the table.

"NO!" I scream, and run for him.

"You made your decision, Miss Everdeen. Have a nice day." He walks out of the door and into a hovercraft waiting outside for him. My Mother runs down the stairs just in time to see him board the hovercraft.

"He was in our house?!" She yelled.

"Yes! We need to help Mitch!" I answered her, and started rummaging in drawers. I find some morphling and inject him with it.

"I'm no good at this, Lillia-Primrose. It was always Prim and my Mother that had healers hands." She sighs, taking Mitch's hand in her own. Due to the Morphling, he is sleeping peacefully. I wet a cloth and hold it to his stomach wound until the gush of blood slows down a little.

"Help me lift him up. Ruby's parents are doctors. When I cut my hand open she showed me how to stitch it back up. I might be able to do stitch this up, if you help me." I say, and my Mother nods. We place him on the table. She cuts a strand of black thread from a reel, loops it through a sterile needle and hands it to me. Carefully, I start to sew my little brother's skin back together. I try not to think of knives and more stomach wounds in the arena as I sew. It takes me a long times as I do not want to go wrong, but eventually his wound has been closed up and only a thin trickle of blood oozes out near the occasional stich. Katniss hugs me.

"Thank you, Lillia-Primrose. You are just like your Aunt." I know that these words are hard for her to say, so I hug her back. Then together we carefully lift Mitch up and take him upstairs. I choose a room for him, and we lay him on the bed. We make our way downstairs again, and my Mother brews some tea over the fire she has just lit. While it is brewing she turns to me.

"Why was that _snake _here?" She asks me, clearly worried.

"He asked me to prostitute myself to Capitol men so that he could make a profit. I know that it's my fault Mitch nearly died, but…"

"You couldn't do it?"

"Exactly. And I swear, one day I _will _kill him." I vow. And I know that it's true. No matter how long it takes me, President Snow will die by my hand.

**This story only has either one or two chapters left, but I am planning a sequel and possibly a threequel. **


	10. Chapter 10

**I don't own The Hunger Games. **

It has been almost six months exactly since my Hunger Games, and I still wake up screaming most nights. I am sixteen now. My birthday was hard. I kept expecting to open the door and Michael would be stood there, arms open, to wish me a happy birthday. I must have run the door at least five times that day. My brother has made a recovery, but can no longer run around with his friends for more than a couple of hours. My Mother's mental health is improving day by day, and now she will talk, laugh and occasionally dance around the house as she cooks or cleans. She is happy that I survived, will keep surviving. Two days after President Snow ordered my brother to be shot, I received news of Ruby's death. She was murdered my President Snow on the same day my brother almost died. I mourned her for months, but I realise that it is probably best that she is gone. Why?

Because there is talk of rebellion in District 12. It has been eleven years since the Capitol over threw the Districts and killed half of my family, and as far as I know Plutarch Heavensbee has been preparing for another war ever since. He will not give up until we are free to do as we wish and we are without the oncoming threat of being Reaped for the Hunger Games. A young fourteen year old girl like Ruby wouldn't stand a chance if she knew something about Rebellion plans. She would be captured by the Capitol, and would probably die after being tortured. Or she would simply just die in the war. I still mourn for Michael every day. We are the reason for talk of a third rebellion. Our love was cut down before it had a chance to fully blossom. The Districts feel sorry for us, like they should fight to avenge our relationship and his death. After all, who knows where he and I could have ended up under different circumstances? But we are not ready for the rebellion yet. We must wait, bide our time, and then strike when the Capitol least expect it. Like my Mother before me, I will become the figurehead of the rebellion. Instead of a bird, people will stamp a Lilly or a Primrose onto their crackers. And when the time comes I will be ready. I will be ready to take down Snow. It is his fault that my best friend and the boy I love are gone. It is his fault my brother has been forced to mature before his time. It is his fault that I am going to kill him.

A few weeks ago I asked my Mother why Snow hadn't killed her. She told me that she was his reminder to the Districts that if you rebel, there are consequences. But one day he will be _my_ reminder to the Capitol people. The reminder that if you treat people so disgustingly bad, kill their loved ones and ruin their lives, your head will end up on a plate.

Before the rebellion happens and I can start planning for it, my Mother and I must leave District 12. We will visit all of the Districts and the Capitol. I hope seeing me and the old Mockingjay will remind each District what they are fighting for. Because tomorrow, I will leave for my Victory tour.

**This story is now complete! I know there aren't many chapters, but the chapters are long. I know that this chapter is short, but it's supposed to be. I hope you enjoyed it, leave me a review to tell me what you think! There will be a sequel; it will be called Let The Battles Begin.**


	11. Chapter 11

**The sequel is now up! It's called Let The Battles begin.**


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